When Time Splits
by Trixie Falsae
Summary: Based on the split time line theory. Explains what happens to Nabooru and the Gerudo when Link travels back in time after OoT that sets the back story of Twilight Princess into motion. An alternate ending for Memoirs of a Gerudo but works as a one-shot.


**Author's note:** This story is based of the split timeline theory of Eiji Aonuma. Basically there are two endings of Ocarina of Time. One is the big party at the end credits after Ganondorf is defeated. The other is when Link travels back in time to confront the princess. He has a chat with her and the back story of Twilight Princess is set in motion. This is my take on the changes as they affect Nabooru and the Gerudo. This is an alternate ending of my larger story "Memoirs of a Gerudo," but if you haven't read it I tried to write this so it still makes sense. If you have read it, this replaces the final chapter, but assumes Nabooru has already made it out of the pit. Enjoy the story!

~Trixie

**Disclaimer:** The awesome people at Nintendo own Legend of Zelda, Nabooru, Ganondorf, Hyrule, Etc. No copyright infringement intended.

**When Time Splits**

By Trixie Falsae

I paced my chamber furiously as my confidante and second-in-command looked on. "How dare he?" I shouted as I continued my path. "How dare he run off and abandon Gerudo _again!_ Where did he say he was going this time?"

"He didn't," my friend replied calmly from her seat on the one small chair in my room.

"Did he say what he was going to do?" I asked in desperate hope.

"No," she replied. "He said he had business to take care of and didn't know when he would be back. I growled in frustration. "What are you planning on doing?"

"I mean to stop his foolishness," I growled. "He keeps obsessing over Hyrule and their myths. He means to destroy them. All this time he has chummed with the Hyrulian king and now he means to overthrow him. He will ruin Gerudo if he continues down that path. We won't _be_ Gerudo if we leave the desert as he wishes."

"Nabooru," she said gently. "You can't stop the king, ordained by the Goddess. None of the Gerudo wishes to leave the desert, but if our king orders us to move we will go."

"Then I will stop him from taking Hyrule," I spat, storming about my small room.

"How, Nabooru?" was her soft question. I stopped for a moment.

"The temple," I answered decisively. "That is where he has always gone to prepare his army."

"He hasn't taken any Gerudo with him," my friend explained in confusion.

"No," I shook my head. "He has built himself an army of monsters. Where do you think all the abominations have come from? _Him! _What are his own people compared to the horrors he has created?" My friend turned pale.

"To help you now is to go against my king," she whispered ever so slightly. "The others know enough to know you and Ganondorf had a falling out." I snorted at the understatement. "You have Gerudo's respect but if anyone learns what you are planning you will be labeled traitor. If I help you further I run the risk of being labeled traitor and I have my daughter to think of. The best I can offer is my silence." I looked at my friend gravely.

"I accept it," I answered solemnly. A rap at the door diverted out attention.

"Enter," I called, praying they had not overheard our conversation through the thin door. Frewoo, a member of Ganondorf's council, entered with a smirk. She was intensely loyal to Ganondorf and would have no problems betraying me to him. My second-in-command and I held our breaths.

"There are some Hylians here for you, Exalted Nabooru," she finally informed me. I let out a sigh of relief.

"What do they want?" I asked in the calmest voice I could muster.

"They had some questions for you, and refused to give me any more information," she said a bit disgruntled. Frewoo loved to be privy to every bit of gossip available. My curiosity was peaked and I exited my chamber and headed towards the bridge with Frewoo and my commander close at hand.

I stepped into the blistering sun, feeling her beloved warmth prickle my skin. The sun would be setting soon, bringing freezing wind along with the night. I passed the guards on the bridge and faced Impa, along with an unnecessarily large contingent of royal guards.

"What is this all about?" I asked as I surveyed the unit.

"Do you know where your king is?" Impa asked directly.

"Hyrule is supposedly our king now," I replied sarcastically. Impa glared at me with her crimson eyes.

"Where is Ganondorf?" She asked sternly.

"I don't know," I answered truthfully. "He left and didn't say where he was going."

"When will he return," Imps probed further. I crossed my arms defensively.

"He didn't say that either," I replied acidly. Impa stared at me with her disturbing gaze, sizing me up.

"Ganondorf is suspected of attempted mutiny," Impa directed at me. "Do you know anything about this?" My face betrayed me only for a moment, but it was long enough for Impa to ascertain what she wanted to know. "Nabooru of the Gerudo, you are under arrest for conspiracy of insurrection. We will convey you to Hyrule Castle Prison where you will await questioning and trial." The guards filed past her as I gave a scream of rebellion. I easily knocked one guard off the bridge and struggled with several more as the bridge guards came to my aid. The sheer number of royal guards quickly subdued me but the others were putting up a fight.

"Stand down!" I ordered the others as my arms were pinned behind me. They stopped immediately. "I need you to be in charge of the fortress. I will send word as soon as I can," I told my second-in-command. I was roughly hauled to my feet and placed in iron shackles. I set my features and gave a parting glance to the group witnessing my humiliation. Frewoo was smirking wickedly.

I was roughly pushed down the dirt path and into a small closed wagon. I remained silent the entire journey to the castle. I was grateful for the closterphobic walls when I heard the familiar cobbles of Castletown pass under the wheels. I was hauled unceremoniously out of the cart and into a small door at the rear of the castle. I remembered with irony the times I had been welcomed warmly into these very walls as an honored guest. Now I was being held prisoner by virtue of being Gerudo and close to the king. I was lead down a spiraling staircase, so far down I felt like I must be in the bowels of the earth. It certainly smelled that way. I noted with disgust the sewage floating through the channel at the center of the room. I was shoved into bleak cell and my chains were attached to the wall. I tested the heavy shackles but they were beyond secure. I chaffed my wrists trying to slip them off. I gave up and peered around the cell now that my eyes were adjusting to the near darkness. I was appalled that the Hylians didn't have the decency to remove the remains of previous occupants. I nudged yellowing bones as far away from me as I could with my foot, scattering rats in the process.

I couldn't help but mull over the unfairness of my situation. I was sitting alone in a festering cell charged with the very crimes I had been planning to stop. I couldn't show fear or weakness to the Hylians, so I turned them into anger. I was infuriated at Ganondorf and his short sighted plans that had landed me here. I was outraged at being treated like this by the Hyrulian king, whose wife I had befriended when she was still alive. I let my ire consume me until I fell asleep.

I was nudged awake by a guard's boot. I suppressed a groan as I suddenly felt the soreness of my limbs due to the awkward position they had been in from the shackles. I sat as best I could and looked up at the guard.

"The king will see you now," he said in an uncaring and official voice. I uselessly tried to smooth my disheveled hair as the guard unhooked me from the wall. He prodded me through the stinking corridors and back up the endless staircase. I climbed with as much dignity as I could muster. I was hungry, thirsty, dirty and desperately needed to use the privy. We ended in a small, plain but clean interrogation room. Impa was waiting stoically. We glared at each other for a silent moment.

"You must be searched before the king sees you," she explained in her apathetic manner. She didn't even dismiss the male guard before beginning her humiliating search. All my jewels and my gloves were taken. Impa looked over the pieces that Ganondorf had charmed with protective spells with interest. I knew they were just decorative but a Gerudo's jewels became a part of her. I felt exposed, as if my very clothing had been taken from me. Bits of my history were visible that I kept hidden by the heavy jewelry I wore. The odd blotch on my throat that appeared after one of the many run-ins I had with Koume and Kotake. The scar on my bicep where Ganondorf had cut me when we literally ran into each other in the training grounds on our first meeting. I cursed the day. My belongings were hauled out of the room and the king entered. The guard felt it necessary to force me to my knees.

"Let her rise," The king barked at the guard. I was hauled to my feet and glared at the Hyrulian king. He stared back at me with disbelief, confusion, but kindness on his face. He let out a heavy sigh and sat in a plain wooden chair.

"What do you know about Ganondorf's whereabouts or his plans?" he asked me directly.

"Nothing," I answered sharply.

"Did you know anything of his plans to overthrow Hyrule?"

"Yes."

"What do you know?"

"That he planned to overthrow Hyrule."

"Can you tell me any specifics?"

"May I use the privy first?" I asked with slight desperation in my voice. The king looked me over.

"You have been in the dungeon?"

"Yes."

"For how long?" he asked. I shrugged. He turned to Impa and whispered with her. I overheard him asking how much of a threat I was, but I didn't hear her response. "Impa will escort you where you can clean up and get something to eat, and then we shall resume our conversation." He stood to leave.

"Thank you," I whispered silently before he left. Impa escorted me to a small bathroom where I was able to relieve myself and straighten my appearance. It was awkward with he heavy irons still attached to my wrists. I was given a small but satisfactory meal before being shuttled back into the small interrogation room. I underwent another search before the king reappeared.

"Are you more comfortable?" he asked with concern.

"In a relative term, yes." I replied ironically.

"Can you tell me any specifics?" King Hyrule asked again.

"He has been planning on trying to conquer Hyrule for a long time," I admitted. "He has had plans since before the war. He is obsessed about something he calls a Triforce. He thinks that if he can get it, he will have Hyrule. That is just a Hyrulian myth, isn't it?" The king wiped his face.

"The Triforce is real, Nabooru," he said seriously. "The royal family, along with the Sheikahs are dedicated to protecting it. If he did find a way to obtain it he could easily overthrow Hyrule. Gaining it is not so simple. Perhaps he doesn't know the full legend. Do you know anything of his plans?"

"I know he is trying to collect what he calls spiritual stones."

"Shit! Oh, pardon me. I am assuming he is responsible for the problems around Hyrule."

"You assumption is correct."

"Why did you never say anything, Nabooru?" King Hyrule asked with disappointment and betrayal written across his face.

"Out of loyalty to my king," I replied apprehensively.

"Our lands are united," he chided. "By the treaty Ganondorf signed, I am your king."

"I am aware what the treaty says, Your Majesty," I replied solemnly. "However, with our laws and customs which far predate the treaty, no Gerudo will recognize anyone but the male heir of Gerudo as king."

"This is treason, Nabooru, do you understand?" The king asked with concern.

"If you had found your wife an adulteress would you have exposed her?" I replied with a question of my own.

"Illiana would have never!" The king spat back, insulted.

"I know she would never," I replied gravely. "She was the most virtuous person I ever knew. I loved her as sister as well as a friend. I am merely trying to illustrate my point. If you had discovered her to be an adulteress would you expose her? You could have her convicted of treason, but would you?"

"No," he replied quietly after a moment's reflection.

"Neither would I betray my king."

"So you would let him destroy the Hyrule we fought to unite?"

"I was making plans to stop him when I was arrested," I said wryly. King Hyrule looked at Impa who was studying me with interest.

"She is telling the truth," Impa commented, an air of contemplation around her.

"Do you know how we can stop him?" the king asked in a whisper.

"I was planning on going to the temple in the desert," I imparted. "He does most of his planning and preparation there."

"Could that be where he is?"

"No, he didn't leave through the desert."

"We shall have to talk to the boy," King Hyrule muttered. I looked at him in confusion. "I am sorry but I will have to send you back to your cell now. I will try to deal with your case as soon as I can but I have grave issues to be sorted out first." I glared back at him despite his apologetic glance. It was back down the winding stairs and back into my cell. I noticed that it had been swept out and a rat hole had been plugged, but the stench from the sewers still pervaded the air. I was still shackled but not bound to the wall. I was eternally grateful for free movement when night fell. I was used to cold night air, but the dampness of the dungeon made the cold seep into my bones and chill me. I paced the cell for hours despite my exhaustion to ward off the cold. I shivered despite my efforts and collapsed in exhaustion as the temperature rose. There was no light down here but I knew dawn must have come. When I awoke a simple meal had been passed through the bars. I ate greedily and sat in silent contemplation.

I lost count of the days that passed in this manner. I never saw the guards I knew were present. The nights were spent in frigid misery while my days passed in bored solitude. I was actually relieved to see Impa when she came for me again. I was led back up staircase and given a bath and a meal before reentering the small interrogation room. Impa once again began her ritualistic search.

"People might mistake us for lovers with how often you fondle me," I commented sarcastically as she completed her task. Impa looked at me but humor darted across her face as the king was admitted.

"We have infiltrated the temple," King Hyrule began directly. My jaw dropped in surprise. "I am sorry to say we eliminated two of your elders in the process, but the boy said they were Ganondorf's most powerful minion. We were going to arrest them but they attacked first."

"How?" I whispered in amazement. "What boy?" The king looked at Impa who nodded mutely.

"My daughter, Princess Zelda, has long insisted that Ganondorf was an evil man," King Hyrule explained. "I always thought she was simply frightened of his imposing form. Recently, she gave me proof of Ganondorf's intentions. It was a boy. This boy had a wild tale that I could dismiss if it was not for one undeniable fact. He holds the Triforce of Courage. I checked, multiple times. The spiritual stones are where they should be. The seal to the sacred realm is unbroken, _yet this boy holds the mark of the Triforce_. The only way to explain this would be to believe his story. To add to his credibility he was able to accurately guide us through your temple and told Impa how to defeat your elders. I am sorry to say the temple was demolished in the process." I fell once again into silent brooding.

"The temple was not completely destroyed," Impa offered once she sensed what I was upset about. "The walls are mostly gone but the Goddess remains intact." I did not speak a word but was comforted by her affirmation.

"What fate does this boy bring upon me?" I asked finally.

"He said that you would have been captured and brainwashed by the elders," the king explained. "That is no longer a threat and the boy explained that you would become a great ally. However, until Ganondorf is brought under our control we cannot take risks. We will continue to hold you here until it is safe to release you."

"Am I allowed to send a message to Gerudo?" I asked sullenly. King Hyrule surveyed me and consulted with Impa.

"Do your Gerudo read Hylian?" he asked.

"Of course," I growled at his ignorance. It was the same Hylian ignorance I had despised the first time I ever visited the castle.

"As long as you write in Hylian, you may send messages," King Hyrule agreed. "You may also receive them as long as you instruct the Gerudo to reply in Hylian. All correspondence will be read for security purposes." My shoulders sunk but I nodded ascent. I scribbled a quick note that I was to be at the castle for a while longer. The Gerudo were not to worry about me and continue as normal. With nothing left to do I was escorted down to my dank cell.

Days continued to draw out with no reprieve from the solitude and boredom. I missed the warmth of the desert. I missed the Gerudo. Most of all I missed the sun. I began to carve images into the floor and walls with my finger. First I drew a sun switch on the floor. Wherever there was a sun switch, sunlight could not be far away. I carved the Goddess into the walls, though it looked sad with my limited artistic abilities. I was nearly complete carving a geometric pattern around my entire cell when I heard a great commotion. It was Ganondorf.

He was putting up a fight but was overpowered by some magical ability. I heard him slammed into a nearby cell and his stream of curses as he was left alone. My emotions betrayed me and I didn't know what to make of them. I was irate that his stupidity had gotten us into this mess, but overjoyed that he was alive. I could still hear him shouting as the guards retreated, but I made not a sound.

It took nearly a full day for Ganondorf to stop his ranting and settle down. He had gone hoarse before he quieted and I could finally sleep. I was startled awake by another angry noise and the guard's sharp reply, "we aren't here for you!" They pulled me out of cell and took me back to the stairs, noticeably slowing as we passed in front of Ganondorf's cell. It was long enough for him to see me in my humiliation with no jewelry save the heavy iron shackles adorning my wrists. It was long enough for me to shoot him a contemptuous glance through the bars as he stared disbelieving at my unkempt glory.

Back up the winding staircase I trod. I had been in the dungeon so long the dim light felt like the desert at noon. I was ushered into the small room once again and Impa began her customary duty.

"You might want to go easy on me today, darling," I drawled. "My ex-boyfriend is down in the cellar." Impa's eyes danced with amusement. We waited in an elongated silence for the usually punctual king. King Hyrule came in with a heavy air and I knew things were not going the way I hoped.

"We have captured Ganondorf," he began and stopped.

"Am I to be let go now?" I asked, more hopeful pleading escaping through my voice than I had intended.

"No," he answered with regret. "We have to question him and the boy further. I am trying to resolve this as quickly as possible but these things take time."

"What more do you want from me?" I demanded.

"Your confessions and information has already been invaluable to us," the king explained. "You personally are not guilty of conspiracy of insurrection."

"Then why am I still here like this?" I cried, the edge of hysteria in my voice as I rattled the chains on my arms.

"With all honesty," King Hyrule whispered lowly. "You are here because your presence ensures Ganondorf's cooperation."

"Ganondorf hates me," I spat back.

"Then why has he spend the last fifteen minutes demanding your release?" the king challenged. I arched my eyebrows in surprise. "I understand you are no longer lovers but he is more liable to talk if he thinks you are at risk than for his own sake." I glared at the man I once thought of as friend.

"I see," I hissed. "You saved me from becoming Ganondorf's pawn so I could become your own."

"This is for the good of Hyrule," The king tried to rationalize, but I had already ceased to listen or communicate. I was fairly drug back to my cell. I sat in a stupor until the nightly freeze forced me to stir. I frantically paced my cell to keep my blood flowing. Tonight seemed even more frigid than the nights previous. I could feel rather than see my fingers and lips turning purple.

"Nabooru?" Ganondorf's low whisper penetrated my thoughts as I continued my circular path. I let out a soft hiss and ignored him at first. "I know you aren't asleep. You never did like the cold." I let out a more audible noise but did not respond. "How long have you been in here?"

"I don't know," I spat with venom. Ganondorf was silent for a long time.

"Nabooru," Ganondorf called.

"What?" I snapped.

"Don't worry about anything, there is nothing they can do to us" he said. I ignored his arrogance and continued my pacing.

* * *

The following time marked a change in routine for me. Ganondorf and I were both shuttled out more frequently for questioning. King Hyrule had handed over my inquisition to a burly Hylian who was neither pleasant nor hygienic. The sessions with him became longer and more grueling. I was exhausted by the time I was returned to my cell. The night air continued to become colder, though it was somehow comforting knowing Ganondorf was nearby.

My jaw was aching as I was returned to my cell one evening. The inquisitor had back handed me for a sarcastic answer and had left my face bruised. Impa immediately jumped to my defense but the damage had been done. The mark started another string of curses as I passed Ganondorf's cell. That night I didn't have the energy to maintain my nightly marathon. I sat huddled in a corner, shivering. Ganondorf called to ask if I was okay. I broke down into tears in reply. I let the sobs of boredom and frustration rack my body, not caring if I appeared weak. Ganondorf had already seen me cry on several occasions and I was tired of being locked up for his transgressions.

The next morning Ganondorf was once again taken for questioning and I settled myself for a few hours of silence. Impa appeared in my cell, seeming to melt away from the shadows. She motioned me to be silent and unlocked the shackles that hadn't been removed since my arrest. The sudden lightness made me feel off balance.

"Follow me," Impa whispered and led me out into the corridor.

"Am I being let go?" I asked in an equally quiet voice. She shook her head.

"Not yet," she replied apologetically, "but you need to hear something." She led me silently through the dungeon, but took me up a secret passage. She stopped a random place and indicated for me to put my ear to the wall. I could immediately hear Ganondorf's voice inside. I heard him, the king, and the inquisitor all in turn. Ganondorf began to deny his charges but a mention of my name and he slipped up. He gave a piece of information which exposed his lies. In frustration and defeat he confessed to plotting to overthrow Hyrule. He indicted fellow conspirators and exposed part of his plans. Even though he had told me pieces of his plan in the past, I was shocked at the depth and treachery of his meticulous planning. After a long and laborious inquisition, Ganondorf was dismissed back to his cell. Impa started to pull me away from the wall as we heard the door close, but there was a rough rap on the wall.

"I am pretty sure you are back there Impa," the unmistakable voice of King Hyrule called through the walls. Impa quickly found a hidden switch and silently slid through a secret door in the wall. "Nabooru is also with you?" I stayed hidden but Impa ducked back in and pulled me out. "After nearly a decade I am beginning to figure you out, Impa," the king smirked. He turned his gaze towards me. "I am sorry we had to keep you so long, Nabooru. I didn't see another way of getting the information we needed out of him." I looked at him quizzically.

"I had no idea his plans were so…" I trailed off

"I would like to humbly ask your pardon for wrongly imprisoning you," the king offered sincerely. I set my hard glare on him.

"I do not approve of my lost time," I replied coldly, "but I understand why you did it. Am I free to go now?" The king nodded his assent. I breathed a sigh of relief and sank onto the floor, observing the sores on my wrists with disgust.

"Even with vacating your cell we won't have enough room for everyone we need to bring in," King Hyrule mused aloud. "I had no idea so many would be part of this mutiny."

"The promise of gold goes far when you are poor," Impa reminded him. The king nodded in silent contemplation.

"We could do it," I offered from my spot on the floor.

"Pardon?" the king asked in confusion.

"The Gerudo," I answered solidly. "We could hold the prisoners. Our temple has already been destroyed. We could rebuild it as a prison."

"But our main concern is Ganondorf," the king pointed out. "If he escapes he will be right back into his homeland where he has the advantage."

"Hardly," I scoffed. "No one can cross the haunted wasteland into the desert without the use of a special artifact. Ganondorf can't even make it across."

"Would the Gerudo really be willing to imprison their own king?"

"I know who is loyal to me, and like me thinks Ganondorf is a traitor for signing your treaty. We couldn't stand against him on our own, but they would be willing to guard him based on the charges you have pulled."

Impa pulled the king aside and whispered to him.

"Would you be apposed to bringing the sages in to help oversee the place?" King Hyrule asked.

"They can eat bland food," I replied curtly.

"The sages are ancient being who are used as arbiters in our most complex legal cases," King Hyrule explained with a smile.

"Oh," I replied smiling at my own mistake. "That would be fine. My offer is merely to guard prisoners, not judging or sentencing."

"This very well may work," the king commented with a smile.

* * *

The prison was built in record time. The Gorons brought iron from their mines to build strong cells and the Hylians helped with the building. The outside was fashioned in a Hylian design but the interior was more traditionally Gerudo in a comical testimony to who had overseen construction of each part. The prisoners were brought in a steady stream. There were people you might never expect. A ranch hand, a townswoman, a merchant, all charged with conspiracy. An odd peddler who traded in mysterious and arcane things was kept, but he proved to be a nuisance as he seemed to be a magnet for the more malignant beings that were left from Ganondorf's meddling in the dark arts.

Both Gerudo and Hylian soldiers worked guarding the prisoners. They came up with their own morbid games to cope with the solitude and gravity of our situation. My second-in-command stayed behind to run the fortress while I oversaw the prison with Impa's help. The sages came with odd artifacts. The strange ethereal beings set up a space at the top of the grounds and began their difficult task. As they were bringing in their artifacts I showed Impa the device we used to traverse the desert.

"It looks Sheikan," she commented as she turned the device over in her hands.

"It probably is," I replied. "We have a tendency of stealing everything we own." We exchanged a small chuckle. We had come to an uneasy understanding that eventually morphed into friendship without our realizing.

The sages took their time judging the prisoners we held. It seemed to take impossibly long just to make a decision on the simplest of cases. They heard evidence gathered from King Hyrule and the inquisitor. They heard the confessions of the people, and then they took their posts on top of the fortress and deliberated. I followed them once to watch. The stood on very high posts and said not a word. They exchanged looks and gestures but no sound was audible. It would take them weeks or even months to sentence one person. The verdict was always done with witnesses, but the sentencing was carried out in secret.

Guarding prisoners came naturally to the Gerudo. Everything went well, though there was one cell I tried to avoid. Impa checked on Ganondorf occasionally even though patrolling guards passed regularly. She was the only one keeping his magic in check. Occasionally I would absently walk the halls, and would invariably end up in front of Ganondorf's secluded cell. He paced his cell like a caged animal. Often his spirit would resemble one. He would stop his pacing and stare at me pleadingly when I appeared. At first I refused to speak to him, but eventually I started to stay for conversations. Somehow it grew into visiting once a week to speak with him. Impa had caught on to what I was up to, but said nothing.

"Do you remember the one time you attempted to stitch the cut I had gotten in the training grounds?" Ganondorf asked with his old smile as he lay sprawled on the floor near the bars.

"Zanati just about had a fit when she walked in," I giggled, sitting against a pillar opposite him. "My work was so terrible she took out what I had done and redid them."

"That hurt worse than the mess you made," He grinned. "My arm was sore for weeks. You aren't a very good seamstress."

"I was barred from the artisan guild for a reason," I giggled. "You should have known better than to try cover up an injury just to keep Zanati from worrying about you. She always found out everything." We both grinned but were more sober at the memory of the late chief healer and Ganondorf's adopted mother. "She loved you, you know."

"I know," Ganondorf agreed morosely. "I'm glad she is gone now. I wonder what she would think if she saw me like this."

"She would have still loved you," I told him sincerely. "Certain things she said, I think she knew something like this was coming."

"She would have been disappointed," Ganondorf added.

"You can be disappointed with someone and still love them," I pointed out. Ganondorf rolled to his side.

"What about you?" Ganondorf asked hopefully.

"Do we have to have this conversation?" I asked in reply, pulling my knees up to my chest.

"I'd like to, but you don't have to answer," he replied. We sat in silence for a while.

"Sometimes I remember all the battles I fought at your behest," I began after taking a deep breath. "I remember all the fights we had and the time you threw me in the pit. I remember sitting in that stinking Hylian prison for your crimes. Those times I'm pretty sure I hate you." Ganondorf let out a weary sigh. "Then other times I remember being together before your coronation. I remember joking together, and the times we would get away with just the two of us. Those times I'm not so sure. Then I wonder why I keep coming back here. Then I wonder if it really matters." Ganondorf traced absently on the floor as he contemplated what I said.

"I am sorry," Ganondorf began softly looking up to gaze into my eyes. "I am sorry for everything that you have suffered because of my mistakes. I am sorry I never listened to you when you were being the rational one. I'm sorry things turned out like this."

"That is the first sincere apology you have given me in your entire life," I commented with a smile. Ganondorf returned it with a smile of his own. "Maybe the sages will give you leniency if you are truly remorseful."

"I wouldn't count on it," Ganondorf sighed. "You see, I am sorry you suffered because of what I have done, but I am not sorry at all that I did them. I'm not even sorry for myself. I would invade Hyrule again in an instant if I thought I could get away with it. Somehow I think the sages will know that." I stared at my hands for a while. I knew he was guilty and needed to be brought to justice but sometimes, like now, I wished it didn't have to be like this.

"Do you remember you once asked me to marry you?" I asked softly. Ganondorf perked up slightly.

"I do," he replied. "You agreed even though we both knew it could never happen. Gerudo don't marry."

"That was a long time ago," I commented, but reached in my pocket and pulled out the ring he had given me on the occasion. "I haven't worn this in years but I couldn't stand to get rid of it either." Ganondorf looked at the glittering jewel in surprise. He grinned up at me again. I gave him an awkward half smile. "This is one of the times I'm not so sure." I approached Ganondorf's cell tentatively and held the ring out. "I thought maybe you would like to hold onto this for now." Ganondorf held out his large hand to take the small token. He grasped my hand in his and we stared at each other. I slipped my hand out of his warm one and turned to leave before the guards came on their rounds.

"Nabooru," he called, stopping me as I made my retreat. "I love you, too."

* * *

The months made their slow rounds. The sages continued their slow progress of judging and sentencing the prisoners. The jail was well built. We were mostly present for intimidation but occasionally we would have to subdue an inmate that went berserk. One Gerudo joked that we had a glorified nanny job. I continued to visit Ganondorf occasionally but our conversations never turned serious. I had to send one Gerudo home on account of becoming pregnant. More than two years passed before it was Ganondorf's turn to stand before the sages for judgment. His trial went on longer than any other. The sages heard testimony from everyone involved, including the guards and even Impa and me. It took months to get through the grueling testimonies. It took many more months for the sages to retreat to their rooftop and silently deliberate.

The day for sentencing finally came to pass. Officials from Hyrule came to hear the fate the sages determined. We all gathered in a tense silence while the sages took their time repeating Ganondorf's crimes. We had been through this routine again but this was the most pivotal case. We all were prepared for the verdict: guilty. Next we waited for the sentence: execution. My heart stopped beating for a moment. My mind screamed out against the sentence. Others who were found guilty were merely exiled, but Ganondorf was to be executed. He hadn't even _done_ anything. Ganondorf rebelled against his sentence. He fought his chains and gave out a feral scream, his eyes going wild as he let his demonic nature take him. Impa lost her grip on his magic ability and the land of Hyrule revolted with Ganondorf's rage. The earth shook and trembled. Chasms split the ground throughout the desert and the land of Hyrule. Mountains fell, reshaping the land. The entire village of Kakariko dropped, making the once fertile land as desolate as the mountain it was attached to. Zora's river rerouted itself and became nearly impassable. Lon Lon Ranch was once again demolished. The bridge to Gerudo Valley was swallowed by the earth. The new grounds we had built were damaged, though the Goddess still stood in all her glory.

It took the power of Impa plus all the sages to subdue Ganondorf's rage. He looked about wildly for a few minutes before his darker nature was checked and his eyes lost their bestial glint. Ganondorf was sent back to his cell while the sages spoke with the Hylian officials. Ganondorf would be executed immediately. Impa sent everyone away from Ganondorf's solitary hall as the sages withdrew to prepare for the execution. She caught my arm as I passed.

"I am watching and keeping a check on him," she whispered, "but you may see him now if you wish." I quickly slipped away and stood in front of Ganondorf. On his face lay his anger and fear. He gave me a wry smile when he saw me standing before him.

"I deserve this," he said ironically. "I committed the crimes I am accused of and this is my destiny."

"Destiny never did like you very much," I remarked. I couldn't help but give him a half smile. He chuckled in agreement and held out his arms to me. I approached and let him wrap me in a hug through the bars.

"I am sorry it has to end like this," he whispered into my hair.

"Me too," I replied, looking up at him. I was surprised with how at peace he seemed, especially after his outburst after his sentence. He bent down to kiss me through the bars.

"You'll be alright, dearest," he told me with a wink. He wrapped me in his arms again until the sages came for him. They stared at me in curiosity but said nothing as I stood back to let them by. They clasped heavy iron shackles to his hands and led him away silently. Impa stood by me and laid a comforting hand on my shoulder. She grabbed my hand and pulled me away silently when the sages disappeared. We raced through the now empty grounds and climbed high.

We reached the top of the prison and peered from our hidden vantage point as the sages finished chaining Ganondorf to a ridiculously large black boulder. He stood with as much pride and dignity one can muster when one's arms are splayed at an unnatural angle. Ganondorf looked about boldly as if challenging the sages, daring them to carry out their sentence. They lifted a sword using only magic and aimed it at Ganondorf. I watched as they drove it through his stomach and into the stone behind. Ganondorf gave a single grunt before collapsing. I stared in horror as he lay pinned to the stone behind him.

His left hand twitched. I watched in horrified awe as he broke through one iron shackle and then the other. His demonic nature had once again taken over and he rushed forward, killing a sage in his rage. Ganondorf laughed evilly and pulled the sword out of his body, brandishing it at the remaining sages. They raised their arms towards a strange circular device that projected white symbols onto the black stone. I gasped as Ganondorf seemingly shattered and was sucked into the rock. The projection stopped and the sages looked down to mourn their fallen brother. Impa and I glanced at each other and slipped away from our hidden place before we were discovered. We returned to the waiting party in the jail.

"What now boss?" a Hylian soldier asked as we came into view.

"It is finished, we go home," Impa replied as if nothing out of the ordinary happened. It didn't take long to gather our few belongings and head out the front of the building. It was odd thinking about "going home" after residing in the prison for the better part of three years. I led the troupe to the entrance of the grounds and stopped short.

"What is wrong, Nabooru?" Impa asked as I stopped. I didn't reply but nudged the door open farther to show them. The wind had stopped howling and the passage back to the fortress was clear. I shrugged my shoulder and marched on. Without the crazed wind it took half the time it normally did to cross the desert. A very pregnant former guard came out laughing to meet us as we appeared. She ran into the arms of a Hylian soldier who rubbed her round stomach and looked quite pleased with himself. He threw an arm around her shoulder as we continued to make our way to the waiting Gerudo. My second-in-command stood in front of the frazzled looking group. It surprised me to remember that the earthquake that seemed so long ago happened earlier today. They all looked at me expectantly.

"Ganondorf has been executed," I called sympathetically. No one showed emotion in the presence of the Hylians, but a few wandered off quickly to the remains of the fortress.

"What is going to happen now?" my commander asked matter-of-factly. I sighed and looked around at the Gerudo. They were exhausted and haggard from their trying day. I looked towards the setting sun.

"We will stay here tonight, and then head to Hyrule tomorrow," I answered, gazing about. Several Gerudo had already started heaping materials for a bonfire to honor Ganondorf in the absence of a funeral pyre. "Go ahead and burn furniture and doors," I called. "We are leaving tomorrow." They stared at me apprehensively but shortly a chair or two was placed on the growing fire.

"It isn't as simple as just leaving," my friend cautioned. "The bridge was destroyed in the quake and there is an enormous chasm. It won't be easy to get down."

"All the more reason we can't stay," I replied and sat in the sand near the bonfire. "We can't get supplies up here if we can't get down." Wine and stronger drink was passed around as the bonfire grew.

"I never would have seen Gerudo as the kind to drink and dance around a fire," Impa commented, sitting by me once I had things straightened with my commander as best I could. Although we had kept a steady correspondence, I felt out of touch with the Gerudo who had been living at the fortress.

"We are quite skilled drinkers, and have a bonfire with any event that has to do with a king. Death ranks pretty high in importance." I replied, taking a long gulp from a wineskin. I handed it to Impa who took a sip. I laughed as she coughed on the contents. "We have an inborn talent for alcohol." She smiled and handed me the container back. I took another drink before passing it on. "What do you suppose happened," I asked in a low whisper.

"I have been mulling it since it happened, believe you me," she replied. "The only thing I can think of is that boy. He came bearing the Triforce of Courage. He did not break the seal, but the Triforce cannot exist in duplication. Since he held only the Triforce of Courage, that piece in the sacred realm ceased to exist and the remaining pieces scattered to those chosen by destiny."

"Ganondorf has been in possession of the Triforce of Power this entire time then?" I asked. Impa nodded. "It is almost funny. He was executed for conspiring to take what he already had."

"He isn't exactly dead," Impa pointed out.

"I know, but I don't know what else you would call it."

"Are you okay with it?"

"Yes," I affirmed hesitantly. "I think even he was. I am glad we saw the execution. I was storming inside about the unjustness of it all until I saw him afterwards. He turned into a veritable demon at the end. I've known the demon was deep in there for a long time, but I seemed to forget whenever he was kind to me."

"The heart is the weakest point of the body," Impa said kindly, then added, "right after the nose, groin and knees." I glared at her briefly before we erupted into laughter.

"Seriously," I said, wiping the tears out of my eyes. "I couldn't seem to decide if I loved him or hated him."

"Does it matter now?" Impa asked, tilting her head as she observed me.

"I would like to feel settled about it," I stated, throwing a pebble towards the fire. "I loved him when he was kind, but that wasn't often. Most of the time he was rude and selfish and then sometimes he was outright demonic, in a literal sense even. I guess I loved what I thought he once was. I loved what he could have been."

"That isn't love, Nabooru," Impa pointed out. I bit my lip and looked at my hand, where the ring Ganondorf had given me had reappeared on finger at our parting. I took it out and fiddled with it. "What did you think about what he was?"

"I couldn't stand him," I replied softly. "We got along and everything went well as long as nothing serious came up and you agreed with everything he said. He felt more like an addiction than anything."

"What is your verdict then?" Impa asked, forcing me to verbalize the feelings I was trying to deny.

"I didn't love him," I whispered. "I tried, I thought I did for a long time, but it was never really love. I guess Gerudo don't understand love."

"I wouldn't say that," Impa said with a smile. "Gerudo understand love very well. They take care of their sisters unconditionally and are incredibly loyal and caring. Why do you mistake romantic love for the only kind of love?" I shrugged my shoulders. "You may have shared a kind of love with Ganondorf at one point. It was just a fleeting passionate love. That kind always dies out. It never grew into a mature romance. I get the feeling neither one of you were willing to put the effort into making it grow." I started to protest but I knew she had me figured out.

"I've been such a fool," I said.

"_That_ is the part that doesn't matter anymore," Impa stated. "What matters now is what you intend to do in the present and future." I fiddled with the ring a bit more before tossing it into the fire.

"I'll worry about that tomorrow," I said firmly and took another drink from an offered wineskin. "Tonight I want to feel sorry for myself."

The morning greeted us with plenty of headaches. I oversaw food prepared for everyone before we packed whatever we could carry. I had once fought so hard to keep the Gerudo in this desert and now we had to evacuate. I thought with irony that Ganondorf had gotten his way. We began a long and treacherous journey to Hyrule. The cliffs were nearly vertical but we managed to work our way slowly down. Partway down the Zoras spotted us and climbed in their skulluta-like fashion and helped us the remainder of the way. We thanked them for their help but soon moved on to take the Hylians back to Castle town. With our large group we moved slow and had to camp overnight in the fields. The next day we surveyed the land and the new chasms that riddled the landscape. We elicited the stares of many as the entire Gerudo nation filed through Castletown and made camp on the lawns of the castle. Impa and I went to confer with King Hyrule and Princess Zelda.

We explained Ganondorf's failed execution and the cause of the earthquake. We spoke a long time about the new issues in Hyrule. Many villagers from Kakariko Village had chosen to leave the town, but didn't have anywhere to turn. The Great Deku Tree had died from poisoning he had received before Ganondorf had been arrested. The Kokiri had abandoned their village, withdrawing into the forest. Talon had led as many animals as he could save to the forest and was reestablishing his ranch there. A few from Kakariko village had followed him and were establishing a small town. Impa was determined to keep Kakariko Village going, but offered to help find another place to establish a town for the displaced villagers. I asked about the boy and found he had embarked on his own quest to find a lost friend.

"That leaves the Gerudo," King Hyrule commented. "What do you plan on doing now that your home is inaccessible?"

"No offense to you, Your Majesty," I said with a wry smile on my lips, "but Hyrule holds no charms for me. I'm going to pack up Gerudo and move out."

"Where will you go?" he asked with concern.

"I don't know," I admitted. "Perhaps I will go see what lies beyond the forest. This won't be the first time the Gerudo have picked up and moved."

"I understand your wishes," the king replied, "Know that you are always welcome in Hyrule." I bowed and returned to my people. They all gathered about me when I returned.

"What will happen to us now?" one whispered as they huddled close.

"The king offered us a place in Hyrule, but I have decided to move on," I replied. "We don't have to leave right away but I don't want to impose on the king's hospitality."

"Exalted Nabooru?" the pregnant former guard called. Her fingers were still intertwined with her boyfriend's. He had returned to her side immediately after reporting to his captain. She looked at him then back at me. "I'm not going." Someone gasped in surprise at her defiance.

"Do you wish to stay and be subjugated by Hylian men?" I asked, gazing at the man at her side. He hardly looked demeaning and was quite doting towards her.

"Like Taboor was subjugated? Yes." She replied firmly. I smiled at her, remembering Malon's mother. She had done quite well for herself, building a successful ranch with her husband who was incapable of dominating even his own child. I supposed it was time to let go of more of my prejudices.

"Very well," I said kindly. "Anyone who wishes to stay may. Kakariko village has space available or you can talk to Impa about a new village she will seek out. I will leave in one week with anyone who wishes to move on."

* * *

The week went by quickly. It was a flurry of arranging additional supplies and trying to figure out who was going where. I parted with my best friend and second-in-command on that chilly morning.

"You really intend to stay here?" I asked as she saw me to the edge of the city. She had already traded her traditional garb for a brightly colored gown she had managed to put together in the past week.

"You really intend to go?" she asked in return. I nodded and she continued, "I found a little place I intend to open up a shop in. Do you know they don't sell proper beer here? Besides, I don't think Naboria needs a life on the run. I want her to have some roots and here is good as any. Besides, I already like the fashion." I smiled and hugged her goodbye. I left the town with less than half the Gerudo. Most were planning on staying in various locations around Hyrule. Impa met me outside the gates.

"I will travel with you a ways," she said as she took stride beside me.

"How is your quest for a new village going?" I asked as she fell into silence.

"That has been put on pause," she admitted. "I've been with the Zoras. Princess Ruto collapsed the day of the earthquake. At first her father thought she was protesting his decision to remarry, but it appears to be something else."

"What is it? I asked. She shrugged and we continued in a comfortable silence.

"I suppose this is where we part," Impa said as we reached a crossroads. I was heading south towards the woods, but Impa was heading back to the Zoras.

"Good luck on your new village," I said in parting.

"I wish you the best on your quest," she replied. We gave each other sad smiles before embracing each other briefly. She took off on her road. A few Gerudo turned and headed back to Castletown, fearful of the uncertain road ahead. I looked around at my loyal followers, feeling blessed to have such close sisters with me. We entered the woods and passed through the blossoming forest town and found it surprisingly pleasant. Another Gerudo set down her things and left our party. As we parted I couldn't help but feel more alone than ever, but I was fine with that.


End file.
